


Pythonissam

by ArchaicAsterism



Category: Hänsel und Gretel | Hansel and Gretel (Fairy Tale), Original Work
Genre: Character Death, Fairy Tale Retellings, Gen, Hansel and Gretel Elements, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Literally how do I tag, Magic, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, but they're only minor characters, mention of abuse but its very very brief, no beta we die like men, overuse of italics and commas, sorry that's just my brand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23564683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchaicAsterism/pseuds/ArchaicAsterism
Summary: "Hansel and Gretel entered the house honestly expecting to die."Vignettes depicting the life of Hansel, Gretel, and their witch.
Relationships: Gretel & Hansel
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	Pythonissam

**Author's Note:**

> oh no

Althea was tired. Tired of living a life of nothing, day in and day out. She's tired of being alone, of fleeing, chased out of villages like the hounds of hell were on her heels. She flitted between inns when she could, her coin few and far between. There were no jobs for sorceresses after all. Althea was getting older, as slow as the process was. She could feel the dull ache of age sinking into her bones, weighing on her shoulders. She couldn’t continue like this. Althea was so, _so_ tired.

It was about two weeks later that Althea had found herself in the woods. Though not unusual, something beyond the trees had felt off. She had once again been thrown out of some Gods forsaken inn in some backwater town when she felt the pull of magic. It was there, a tug in the back of her mind. It didn't feel _wrong_ , it felt like the exact opposite. So, deciding she had nothing to lose, Althea gave in and walked further into the dark wood of the trees. As she walked, her body began to feel lighter, her heart rate slowing to the point she was sure it couldn't keep her alive. The thought of dying was fleeting, gone as quickly as it came. Odd, it was usually hard to unscramble her whirling thoughts. Her magic whispering to each other and urging her thoughts elsewhere.

Soon the scene opened up to a rather large clearing, a stream flowing somewhere nearby. Disturbing the natural beauty of the area was a cottage. Its image shimmered, as though not exactly there. Althea must have been going mad, it was almost too good to be true. The house exuded magic, slipping between its archaic cracks and crevices. It was avant-garde but had the underlying feeling of _home_. It felt right, and Althea knew she could finally rest.

\--

It started with children, as most problems do.

There were two, a girl and a boy. Twins. They were young, fair-haired and attached at the hip. Althea had been keeping tabs on the two, as it seemed their home life was less than desirable. She kept watch from the shadows, a guiding figure behind the scenes. The children had come only about a year after the discovery of the house. The house was not hers, it belonged to no one, but she had long discovered it liked her. Soon after arriving, she had collapsed on a moth bitten bed. Later, Althea had awoken to soft sheets and polished wood. The room looked as though it had been preserved, unlike the unkempt worn down mess it had been before. She knew then that she was to stay. From then on, the witch devoted every day of her life to the upkeep of the house. She fell into a routine, like the last piece of a puzzle slotting into place.

The morn of her 300th day in the house was not unlike the 299 before it. She awoke to the waxing light of the morning sun, accompanied by the dull chirp of birds in the distance. Sleep still clung to her body and she shivered as her feet touched the cold floor. The tug of magic in the back of her mind returned, as it tended to do when the house required her help. Althea hummed in response and stood, making her way down to the kitchen.

The room itself wasn't anything special, not by a long shot, but it was all she needed. She glanced at the small table in the center, where a rather large book lay open and bookmarked.

Weird.

Althea shrugged, taking the book's appearance in stride. There was a reason for everything in the house and she had come to accept that fact. So, she took her seat at the table and began to read. Her eyes scanned the pages for any useful information and came up empty. It was just a recipe book. Recipes for treats and delicacies Althea was sure she couldn't replicate. Why had the house given this to her? What was the point?

It didn't matter. Not really. The reason why was irrelevant and all Althea could do now was do as she was asked. She then set to work, pulling ingredients from shelves that she knew she had never bought. It was easy enough, and soon the hum of her oven filled the house. The smells came soon after, trailing along like an obedient dog behind its master. It was nice, domestic even. Althea became so caught up in her work that she had barely noticed the two children who had crept up on the house.

Their faces were gaunt and pale, beady eyes peering in the window of her home. Their hands were clasped together like they feared the other would soon disappear. They couldn’t be older than eight summers old. Althea softened and decided to take pity on the two, opening the door and waving them inside. They hesitated, of course, but that was to be expected. She beckoned them closer once more, offering as gentle a smile as she could.

She withdrew inside and they followed, keeping close to the door. Smart children.

"What brings you here?"

Silence. Well, that was rude. With a shake of her head, Althea left the children to their own devices while she finished her baking. With the last of the pastries in the oven, Althea took it upon herself to put a kettle on. Some tea should help calm the children's nerves. "You can have some if you'd like. As a treat." She motioned to the oven behind her. "I'm sure you'd enjoy them." Her eyes didn't miss the way the children's faces grew hopeful, a spark of joy lighting up their features.

Althea pursed her lips, that wasn't right. She was no stranger to poverty and famine but the town outside the woods had seemed well-off. She decided to pay it little mind. It was of no importance to her. She was shaken from her thoughts as the kettle whistled, moving to take care of that before opening the oven. The pastries had come out perfect, round with a warm center of strawberry jam. The pastries were moved to a plate on the table, along with twin cups of steaming tea. "Eat up," she ordered. The children paused before reaching out and taking a pastry, blowing on it to cool before taking a bite. Their eyes widened almost simultaneously, leading to an amused twitch of Althea's lips. "Glad you enjoy it. Eat as many as you please." The children nodded as Althea started to prattle on about something or other. Nothing had happened after that. After the children had finished their tea, Althea sent them on their way. She parted with a pouch of pastries and whispered instructions. "Keep the crumbs," she had said. "They will help you find me again."

\--

Althea had decided to ask the house a favor. The house had agreed and allowed her to do as she pleased. A simple glamour spell went a long way, painting the house to be made of pure candy, bright and colorful. The house itself had expanded, rooms she hadn't seen before making themselves known. After meeting the children, something had stirred within the witch. Something that told her she needed to see the children again.

Hence the entire candy approach. The children had enjoyed her pastries (at least, she thought they did) so why not try and replicate that? It was easy enough magic and Althea was finished within a few days. She stood outside the house, admiring the work done with a satisfied smile. Perfect. All that was left was to wait. The witch paused, eyeing the surrounding area of the home. A small protection charm wouldn't harm anybody. With a determined nod, Althea reentered the house and set to work.

\--

It would only be another summer before she saw the children again. Althea was a patient woman, and the children arrived as expected. Two small figures broke through the trees and paused, beady eyes taking in the house. They were just as gaunt and small at nine summers as they were at eight. Their hands, not unlike the last time, were clasped together in an iron grip. Althea beckoned them inside and they obeyed almost immediately. The trio made it to the doorway before the youngest paused. His eyes glanced at his sister's and she nodded slightly.

"Hansel."

"Gretel."

Althea paused, turning halfway to see the children behind her. Her brows pinched together in confusion before a look of understanding crossed her face. "Ah yes. Your names. I knew those already but I appreciate the attempt at conversation." With that, the older woman turned on her heel and strutted into the cottage. Hansel and Gretel glanced at each other in astonishment, their eyes wide and jaws hanging open.

"Come now children! Close the door behind you!"

\--

Life with Althea was….odd to say the least. Hansel and Gretel had entered the house honestly expecting to die. Their first encounter with the woman was pleasurable, but it seemed too good to be true. Looking back, it was rather foolish of them to think that Althea was anything but kind. She was strict and loud, but she cared. She fed them extra helpings of food, even if she herself hadn't eaten. She would sew their clothes and make their beds. Their parents would scoff at the bond Gretel and her brother shared, Althea barely glanced at it. Despite her generosity, there were _many_ weird things that they couldn't explain. Some nights, the twins would wake up to a strange humming coming from the kitchen. They would peer out of the keyhole only to be met with an eye staring back.

The children stopped trying to pry after that.

\--

The twins were now fourteen summers old. Two summers ago, the twins explained how they came upon the house in the woods. It was simple really. They came from a poor family, with never enough food to go around. The first time, their mother had thrown them out of the house and said to collect firewood. She had secretly hoped they wouldn't come back. The discovery of the cottage was pure luck, and finding the way home was almost just as lucky.

The second time, their mother had gotten into a fight with their father, screaming about how much of a burden the children were.

"Look at them!" She screamed, bordering on hysterical. "They're taking up resources! I want them gone!" Defeated, their father had agreed, and would be taking the children to the forest himself. From the stairs, a young Hansel had heard the plan and decided to put some faith in the strange woman from the woods. He ran up to his room and pulled out a tiny drawstring purse, filled with year old pastry crumbs. Hansel frantically told his sister of the plot and she whispered that they would be better off anywhere but here.

When the two were once again left alone, they recalled the teary goodbye from their father. He was hesitant to leave, but his wife was right. As he turned his back, he heard his children whisper "help us find her" and somehow, he knew they would live.

\--

Those days were far behind them now. The children did domestic things like cooking and cleaning. They fetched firewood and water. They were finally content and happy, no longer as meek and shy as they were five summers ago. Gretel had grown bolder as the seasons passed. She spoke more, louder and more assertive than she ever had before. Her stance now carried an authority she once hadn't possessed, one that was rivaled only by Althea herself. Hansel on the other hand, stuck to books. He read day in and day out, getting lost in the pages of the books he was given. He spoke freely and often, something Althea had only encouraged. She thought they didn't notice the way her chest puffed with pride whenever they weren't looking. But they noticed. (They always noticed.)

\--

The few days after their fifteenth birthday were a complete blur. It was a relatively normal day. The twins woke to the sound of soft singing and the smell of freshly baked biscuits. As they entered the kitchen, Althea smirked and held up a plate of warm biscuits. "I knew this would get you two up. Now, finish your chores and then you may eat." Nodding, Hansel ran off to fetch more water while Gretel began cleaning the oven. If the oven was suddenly cool and safe to clean despite being used, the girl didn't notice. Althea kept a close eye on Gretel, ensuring that no harm would befall her while she cleaned.

In the distance, she sensed frantic footsteps, too light to be those of a grown adult. The house hummed, and dread settled in her stomach. Something was wrong. Almost on cue, Hansel burst into the room, chest heaving and sweat coating his forehead. His eyes were wild and his hair tousled by the wind. "There-there's people! They have weapons-"

"What? Hansel slow down what's going on?" Gretel asked, wiping her dirty hands on a rag.

"I saw a group of people heading this way! They had pitchforks and torches and- Althea?" The woman in question had gone still, her face a deathly pale.

"Children. Listen and listen well. You are to go to your room and lock the door. Do not come out until I say so. Do not open the door for _anyone_." She hardened her gaze and the children almost shrunk back in shock. "Am I understood?"

\--

Althea cursed the existence of every god she knew as she gathered her supplies. The children were now safe behind the door of their room, protected by the house itself. What worried Althea was her protection charm. Why hadn't it done it's job? Whatever the reason, it was irrelevant. What mattered now was protecting her home and her children.

She could hear the roars of the mob coming close and fought back a growl. Had she been through enough? Did she not endure years of this very treatment from all over this god forsaken land? How dare they come to _her_ home with the intent to harm _her_ children. It just wouldn't do.

But Althea wasn't stupid.

She knew she wasn't as young as she used to be. The magic in her veins thrummed as it always had, but the repercussions were severe if she were to push her limits. Deciding to save her magic, the woman walked out of the house and stood before the mob. She held her head high and her shoulders back. They would not get the satisfaction of seeing her cower before them. "Is there something I can do for you?" She called, her voice clear and commanding.

Someone before her scoffed. "Silence witch! We know what you've done!" The townsman snarled as rings of "Yeah!" and "Witch!" echoed across the grounds.

"And what exactly, have I done?"

"You take us for fools heathen? We know you've stolen the farmer’s children. You enslaved them. Fattening them up like cows for slaughter."

Althea's eyes narrowed and a tight-lipped smile forced its way on her lips. "You must be mistaken. I have done no such thing. It would do you well to leave the property while you still have a choice."

"Is that a threat?"

"Take it as you will." She shrugged. The villagers all cried out in unison, outraged and screaming obscenities.

"Enough of this! Bring us the children or face the consequences, witch!" A small flicker of recognition ignited in the back of mind, eyes alighting as her lips dropped into a frown.

“You’re an alderman are you not? What example are you setting for these people?” Deep inside her chest her magic rumbled, itching to be released. “You intrude on _my_ property and accuse me of such heinous crimes?” Althea could feel it. The electric tingle of magic in the air. Sharp enough that even the humans before her could sense it. She almost took pride in the way their faces paled. The alderman however, seemed immune to her warnings. That or he was a madman.

“Come out children!” He called, decidedly ignoring the woman in favor of the head peeking out from the window. Althea’s lips pulled back in a snarl, her patience wearing thin. From her pocket she pulled a small vial. Black liquid sloshed around, captivating the gaze of the townspeople. The alderman faltered, as if he finally realized what he was dealing with. Good.

“I’ll only say this once more. Leave while you still can.” Althea’s eyes were cold, daring any to continue. Fortunately, some of the smarter ones fled. Others, stupidly brave, stood their ground. Without breaking eye contact, Althea crushed the vial in her grip, the glass shattering in her bare hand. Drops of blood mixed with the black liquid, steaming on her right hand as it burned. She ignored the searing pain in order to focus on the magic boost she had gained.

There were six humans left, including the alderman and the farmer with his wife. Weapons raised, Althea could feel the fear rolling off of them. She felt no remorse, they had made their choice. With a whispered word, magic erupted from the palm of her uninjured arm. Raising her arm, Althea smirked and whispered the spell for binding, tethering her targets to the ground. With a flick of her wrist, vines emerged from the ground, entangling and crushing the humans within their grip. A sort of manic glee spread throughout her body, buzzing with magical energy. She didn’t enjoy this, she tried to tell herself. Not truly, magic just had a way of changing the mind.

The ones she deemed the weakest fell first. A series of sickening crunches echoed as their necks were snapped. All that remained were the alderman and the farmer. The farmer thrashed and screamed, eyes wet as he watched his wife’s body crumple to the ground.

“Damned witch!” The alderman seethed. “I’ll have your head!”

Althea tipped her head towards the man, a bored expression cemented on her face. “You’re in no position to be making threats.”

A snap.

The alderman’s boy went limp. With that finished, Althea fixed her gaze back on the farmer. He was red in the face, tears running down his cheeks. He looked stunned into silence. Althea’s magic started to dull, which urged her to make this as quick as possible. She raised her palm towards the man and prepared the killing blow.

“STOP!”

Blinking, the sorceress turned her eyes up to the window where her children resided. Hansel sat with his mouth hanging open, eyes glossy. Gretel was leaning out of the window, jaw set and eyes narrowed. “Just a moment, children. This will only be a second.” It hurt to expose the twins to such violence, but it was a necessary evil.

“Let him go!”

“That’s our father!”

Their voices overlapped, both equally thick with emotion. This made Althea pause, her magic wavering and vines loosening. For a moment everything was quiet. With a sigh, the witch released the vines, the farmer coughing and sputtering on the ground. She strode over to him, exhaustion already seeping into her bones. “Listen to me when I say this farmer, my children have shown you mercy. Return to the village and let them know I am not to be trifled with.” She then turned on her heel and walked to the door of her home. Her attention was then focused on the charred skin of her right hand.

Unbeknownst to her, the farmer had grown bold, reaching into his boot to pull out a dagger. His throw was sloppy and his aim was off. It should have been easily avoided. She should have sensed it. Even the twins were too late as the knife embedded itself into Althea’s shoulder. She turned, fury relighting in her eyes. The beginnings of a spell fell from her lips before her eyes rolled back into her skull and her body crumpled.

\--

Althea had awoken with panic clawing at her chest. Her children. Where were her children? The last thing she remembered was- wait. She looked down, and saw a blanket clutched in her left hand. A bed? How did she get here? With a swing of her legs, Althea stood up from the bed. Her legs felt like jelly on ice, but she did her best to reach the doorway.

“What are you doing up?” Hansel stood at the end of the hallway, a washing basin and towels in hand. He looked a little too calm for the situation.

“What do you mean? You should be with your sister in your room. That father of yours-” Hansel held up a hand to silence her, it seems he was feeling rather bold.

“You’ve been asleep for four days. Our father took off after the attack’’ He then strode past her, setting the items on her desk. “Please get back in bed, all of our hard work will go to waste.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Excuse me?”

Althea pursed her lips but shuffled back to her bed anyways. A few moments later, Gretel joined them in the room. Her posture was odd and she seemed off. The two began flitting about the room, preparing towels and opening curtains. It wasn’t unusual to see the twins doing household chores, the silence was astounding. Before long, Althea had grown restless and demanded the children tell her what was going on. She had assumed it to be about their father and the atrocities committed by the woman before them. They looked at each other and silently agreed. At the same time they blurted,

“We want to learn magic.”

\--

Learning magic was never easy. Whomever said otherwise was clearly lying through their teeth. Teaching magic was even harder. Magic was fickle and humans even more so. Despite these obstacles, Hansel and Gretel flourished under Althea’s watchful eye. With her wounds now fully healed, she could oversee their studies properly.

The first rule of magic was easy. Maintain balance. In order to take, one must give. The easier the spell, the less you had to give. It was simple really. The children seemed to catch on quickly, their books left behind to practice in the woods. Nights were spent reading and writing in languages long since dead while the days were spent with herbs and vials. It felt good to pass on this knowledge, to know that it wouldn’t die with her. Her children would be safe but she prayed they wouldn't face the same prejudices she did.

\--

Years later, the twins were now nineteen summers old. Their magic was still young, but they now had better control. In two days time they would be leaving. Leaving the house, their mother, and the forest. It was a hard decision but one that was necessary. They needed to explore, live for themselves. When the time came for the twins to depart, Althea left them with a kiss on the forehead and made them promise to visit. She reminded them that they would always have a home here, and would be welcomed with open arms. After a tearful goodbye from Hansel, Gretel thanked her mother and brought her into a strong hug. The twins were leaving yes, but they were leaving powerful and well cared for. It’s all Althea could have asked for.

\--

Not long after the twins had left, Althea had finally realized why she had been called to this house. She was to protect children and send them out better than before. She cared for the abused children who ran from their family. The unwanted children left by the stream. Any and all were welcome. She would teach them the ways of magic before parting with a kiss. Her children left when they felt strong enough and never a moment before. It was her purpose. There were still many years left in her old bones, but Althea could _finally rest._

**Author's Note:**

> Hi please let me know if you spot any mistakes! I edited this myself so who knows what I missed. Well anyway, I hope you enjoyed my take on this fairy tale. Comments are my lifeblood


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